Florida Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf urging the FDA to investigate the food safety of herbs and spices, like cinnamon, following reports of high levels of lead and heavy metals when sourcing products from untrustworthy countries like Communist China.
High lead or heavy metal levels in spices, such as cinnamon, typically come from three potential sources: either high levels in the soil the product was grown in, potential contamination in the supply chain during processing, or economically motivated tactics such as a producer adding lead chromate to increase the product’s weight.
Recent statements by the FDA show that the high lead levels may have come from economic adulteration of the product along the supply chain and Communist China has a history of engaging in economic adulteration.
Senator Scott, a Republican, is requesting information regarding the FDA’s existing policies to ensure that heavy metals are not in these common products available to American consumers, and ensuring children have access to proper nutrition.
Read the full letter from Florida Senator Rick Scott to the FDA:
RickScott_FDAleadChinaletter
